Bookcase.



1.3. LANGDON.

BOOKCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, I917- Patented June 18, 1918..

2 SHEETS-SHEET I awn/mm .51 L fiNqD ON 1.3. LANGDGN.

BOOKCASE.

APPLICATION FILED NINE 21,191?- Patentem J 11116 18, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHET 2 center toget Kid - lmllil' all. LG'DON, 0F FUEIBILU, CULUMB BUUKGASE.

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' application filed June 27, W17. aerial Ito. Width.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it own that l[, Jonuv J. lhalvcnon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pueblo. in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Bookcases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain unprovements in bookcases and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character of a revolving type and it is an ob ect of the invention to provide a devlce of thls general character including a plurahty of shelves ada ted to rotate about a common daer with' means co-acting with said shelves for maintaining the same substantially horizontal at all times.

lit is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character having novel and improved means whereby the shelves are normally maintained against movement.

It is also. an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this generalcharacter including a table together with a rotating carrier having operatively engaged therewith a plurality of shelves, said carrier being so arranged as to position an uppermost shelf substantially flush with the table. a

The invention consists in the'details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved bookcase wherein certaln important advanta es are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood 1 will now proceed to de scribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a View in side elevatlon lllustrating a case constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of my improved case as herein embodied with the table or desk portion omitted; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating a support as herein embodied As disclosed in the accompanying drawings T denotes a table or desk top supported in a desired manner and having its central portion cut away as clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. Pivotally .engaged with one of the inner margins of the table '1 is a hinged leaf 1 having a tail portion 2 underlying the co-acting marginal portion of the top or table whereby it will be perceived that the leaf 1 is normally maintained in a horizontal position yet is capable of free upward swinging movement.

At substantially the center of the open portion of the table or top T and arranged therebelow are the upstanding transversely spaced standards 3 which support the fixed shaft a, one end portion of said shaft a being ofl'set upwardly as indicated at 5. Loosely mounted upon the lower portion of the shaft 4: is a hub 6 having secured at its opposite end portions the wheels 7 of equal diameter and which have their peripheral portions connected by the supporting shafts 8, loosely supported by said wheels 7. Loosely mounted upon the offset portion 5 of the shaft 4glS a third wheel 9 of the same diameter as the wheel 7 and loosely mounted with the peripheral portion of said wheel 9 are the cranks 10 carried by the adjacent ends of the shafts 8. The cranks 10 are perpendicularly related to the shafts 8 and are of the same length as the distance between the shaft 4 to the offset portion 5 thereof.

Fixed to each of the shafts 8 is a shelf 11 and to facilitate the operative engagement of the shelf 11 with the shaft the portion thereof intermediate the wheels 7 is flattened as indicated at 12 in detail Figs, 3 and 4. Pivotally engaged with a marginal portion of each of the shelves 11 are the spaced spring clips 14. The clips 14 are adapted to have-clamping action upon the back portion of a book B. It is thought to be clearly obvious from the foregoing description and from the illustration in the accompanying drawings that as the wheels 7 and 9 are ro 'tated the shelf 11 will at all times remain horizontal. The wheels may be rotated in any manner but preferably by manually op ltd "fit

flit

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lltlh 1'18 fixed intermediate t 'shaft 19 suitably supported crating the upper portion of the wheel 9. which extends a ove the table or top T. The upper portions of the wheels 7 are so ositioned as to bring the uppermost she f 11 substantially flush with thetable or to T and when the uppermost book is thrown into an open position as indicated in Fi 4 a part of the book is sup orted by the eaf 1. It will also be self ev1 ent that the upward swin 'ng movement of the leaf 1 prevents said eaf from offering any obstruction to the rotation of the wheels 7 and 9 by contact of'the books B therewith.

I prefer that the'hinged end portion of each of the clips 14 be provided with an extension or tail 15 adapted to engage the under surface of the co-acting shelf 11. The tail 15 isof such an angle as to prevent the clip 14 from dropping below the horizontal. My improved bookcase is especially adapted for use in county orabstract offices or in ofiices where man indexes are used. The books B upon t e shelves 11 constitute record books and as herein embodied said bookswill be numbered from 1 to 10 with said numbers preferably Ipositmned upon the index plates 16 carried y the cranks 10. Each of the plates 16 has arranged thereon anindex for the book supported by the adj acent shelf 11. If the operator is deslrous of making a record commencing with the letter A he revolves the wheel 9 until book number 1 is Iiush with the table or top T. The index plate on the crank 10 will readily advise him as to the page of the book to which he should turn and so on.

The wheels 7 and 9 are normally held against rotation by the brake shoes 17 engageable with the peripheries of the wheels 7 and carried by the end ortions of the arms- Keir len hs to the or rocking movement; The opposite end portions of each of the'arms 18 have c'oacting therewith the retractile members 20' which serve to maintain the shoes 17 constantly in contact with the wheels 7. One of the arms 18 adjacent the shoes 17 isprovided with the upstanding pedal 20 whereby the shoes 17 may be readil forced out of frictional engagement wit the wheel 7 when it is desired to rotate the same.

'From the foregoing description, it i I 1,2casa5 thought to be obvious that a bookcase constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated and it will also be obvious that my invention is susce tible of some change and modification wit out materially departing from the appearance and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understoodas limiting myself to the precise arr ement and formation of the several parts erein shown in carrying out in invention in practice except as hereina or claimed.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a rotary member, a shaft loosely supported by said member, a shelf engaged with the shaft, a second rotary member positioned eccentrically with relation to the first named rotary member, said shaft being provided with a crank operativel engage w1th the second rotary member w ereby the shelf is maintained substantially horizontal upon rotation of the members, and an upwardly swinging leaf interposed in the line of travel of the shelf, said shelf being substantially flush with the leaf when the shelf is at the limit of its upward movement.

2. device of the character described comprlsmg a rotary member, a shaft loosely supported by said member, a shelf engaged with the shaft, a second rotary member positioned eccentrically with relation to the first named rotary member, said shaft bein provided with a crank operatively engage With the second rotary member whereby the shelf is maintained substantially horizontal upon rotation of the members, an upwardly swinging leaf interposed in the line of travel 0 the shelf, said shelf being substantially flush with the leaf when the shelf is at the limit of its upward movement, and means co-acting with the leaf for preventing the same dropping below substantially the horizontal.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. LANGDON.-

Witnesses:

J. A. LANGDON, J. RAY LANGDON. 

